Files
Download
Download Full Text (6.3 MB)
Content Warning
The Charles P. McIlvaine letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
Description
Family & excursions
Date
8-14-1868
Keywords
letter, McIlvaine, daughter, family
Recommended Citation
McIlvaine, Charles Pettit, "Letter to Maria (Mamy) Du Bois" (1868). Charles Pettit McIlvaine Letters. 364.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/mcilvaine_letters/364
Rights Statement
Transcript
Cincinnati Aug. 14/68
My dearest Mamy,
I hope you have all been brought through the hot weather without [?]. Your Mother and I have born it far better than we could have expected. A few summers ago, it would have almost killed me. We have now most charming weather for August, a fine clear bracing air and very cool nights. We have had three letters from Nan since they landed in France. The last of which contains an account of her ascents at Char[?] and perhaps the [former] one I will send you when they come back from [?] and Charley. They reached Geneva [for] Paris on the 14th met Emery & John & Suzy there, exactly the appointed day. Thence they went together to Chairman Ellis you know. Nan took out. By the last letter we have a description of Nan’s [long] [curated?] [excursion], which not more than a dozen women have ever made - the ascent to the Grands Mulets, which is the point reached by those who are at the summit of Mount Blanc, as their resting place for the night, & for a start next morning, so as to get to the top by sunrise. Their party was [Mr.] [Messer]., Mons. L[?], a Genevan Artist, a [particular] friend of [Mr.] [M.] & who was with Sam and me at the Mount Rosa last summer & a Russian Prince [?] of the [Emperor] (Russia) household. The last in [?] to the top. They [atchieved] the prodigious task, in due time and passed the night at the Grand Mulet, in the little hut there - Nan was not fatigued as much as the gentlemen, two of whom had scarce than once been at the top - They had abundance of guides. They descended the next day by 2 o clock. The C[?] were [?] at Chairman’s when [by] [?] they were seen at the Mulets & when they reached their Hotel. All [?] was not to see them, for it was considered a great thing for a lady to be able to do. Nan sent us the Mount Blanc paper, in which is a notice of the excursion in which after speaking of Mons. and Madame [Messer] (de Londres) and the salute of [cannon] when they arrived, it said of the last, “it was only a just [tribute] to la jeune femme, because in the opinion of the guides, the ascent to the Grand Montet in consequence of the special condition of the [snow] & increased width of the [crevasses], was equal in [?] [to] the whole ascent in [ordinary]